The Truth Behind Kumajiro
by candy4yourEYEZ
Summary: Kumajiro is not at all what he appears. More than a bear, a tragic past is slowly being revealed. Can he fix everything before it's too late? Main pairing America/Canada, Matthew/Alfred, Americana/Matfred, other background pairings
1. Prologue

_All he remembered was a door breaking open, and the man holding him in his arms shrieking. Another human was in the doorway, brandishing some kind of glowing stick… A wand, the part of him that absorbed the fairytales he was read supplied the word. _

_ "No!" The one with the warm lap and the long hair shouted, cradling him close. "He's mine! I won't give him up!"_

_ "I have to." The second voice was softer, __**sadder**__, he thought. It spoke with an odd accent. "This is for your own good, Matthew. Yours and Alfred's."_

_ "But what about __his__?" The warm man almost screamed, turning away. "It's ok," he whispered, a frantic look in his eyes. "You'll be fine."_

_ "Hand over the child, Matthew. Be a good lad and give him up." The odd voice man walked closer, his steps were louder._

_ "No! I-I can't do this to him!" And then…_

_A whirl of color as he was spun around, then a flash of white light, and a feeling like he was being turned inside out… And the light… so much light…_

"Wake up, Kumajiro!" The bear opened his eyes to see his keeper crouched over him, long blonde hair swaying slightly as he shook Kuma. "You were twitching, did you have a bad dream again? That is, if you **can** dream." The man gets up; cradling Kumajiro in a warm embrace that feels familiar, but… no, the memory- or the memory of a memory- is gone now. "Will pancakes make you feel better?" The man- Canada, Matthew, Kumajiro remembers, keeps talking even though he knows his pet can't answer. He prattles on about syrup and the world meeting coming up, and a certain albino that's been bursting in and demanding food. Kumajiro relaxes in his arms, chasing vainly after the fleeting recollection.

The two go about their daily lives, unaware that all hell is about to break loose.

* * *

Authoress' Random Ramble

Sorry about the cliffhanger ^^ This is the prologue to an Americana fic that's been rattling around in my head for quite a while. If it seems confusing, don't worry, everything will be explained soon. Do you like it so far?

Less than three. Less than three


	2. Escape

(I don't know if I mentioned this, but the song for this fic is Once, by Caleb Kane)

* * *

_The beginning of the end, so to speak, happens when an irate Englishman bursts through the front door. Kumajiro recognizes him; he's the one that… who is he again? … Canada. Ah. Canada calls him mom sometimes, or England or Arthur. He's been visiting for years… But Kumajiro remembers something further back, when he wasn't supposed to be able to remember anything…_

_Wait… how did he know that he wasn't supposed to remember anything from back then? He was a bear, right? And humans… Humans didn't know how bears thought, or if they thought, so… He wasn't human, was he?_

_At this thought, something rises up in the back of his mind, something that fits with the memory he thought he had before, the one with the bright flash and the crying… Kumajiro mentally nudges it, to see what it was. Is this what humans call a conscience?_

_At the mention of humans again, the thing rises higher. It's bright, whiter than new snow, and it's swallowing him up, fogging his mind, muddling his senses…. This has happened before- but something's different this time. He could see the thing, the mind-beast, before it affected him. Normally it's just this white haze all the sudden…_

_What's happeni-_

_

* * *

_

"Kumakira!" Canada rushed over to his bear; the poor thing just collapsed all the sudden! "I'm sorry, Mo- Arthur, I know you just got here and we were planning this visit for ages, what with you being so busy and all, but I should probably take Kumaliri to the vet or something-"

"Ah, it's fine, Matthew. I know a spell that will have him fixed up good as new in no time," England reassured him, noting the slightly nervous look on Canada's face. "… Fuck it." England snapped his fingers and mumbled something in Latin; Canada was out like a light. A wave of the hand and he was drifting over to the couch, falling gently while a blanket floated above him and covered the sleeping blonde. "I… I really am sorry, Matthew, I wouldn't use a memory spell on my own family otherwise…" England said, kneeling by his prone son, "but it has to be done." He held his hands above Canada's forehead, chanting an incantation in a deep voice, white light emanating from his palms and illuminating the room- awakening Kumajiro. The bear stared sleepily at what was happening, the white light in his mind rising again.

_No!_ He mentally rebukes it, shoving it down again, and again, until it fades into a mist, dissipating completely. He pads softly over to where England is casting a spell on Canada, his now fully aware brain supplying him with information he must have subconsciously gathered.

_England is casting a spell on Canada, it's one that has to be re-cast every 15 years to stay at full potency. It wipes a certain event from one's mind, and creates plausible memories_ _to fill the holes caused by that event, both in the past and the future. There's something he doesn't want Canada to remember… Something about…_

_Me._

_There must have been a spell on me as well, that's what the white in my mind was. It's getting weaker, that's why I could push it away. But why was it there in the first place-_

"I really am sorry, lad," England pats Canada's soft, blonde locks, and Kumajiro stifles a growl deep in his throat. "But I can't risk you remembering anything. It would cause hell for you and Alfred. It's… It's better this way. Now, where's Kumajiro…" His voice was bitter when he said 'Kumajiro,' but bitter with a tinge of fondness. Like how someone would sound while talking about someone they truly loved who had caused them worlds of trouble. "I have to get to him soon to renew the spell effectively…"

Kumajiro turned around and dashed away, mixing the instinct within him with his new found logic to create one thought:_ run_.

And run he did, using his momentum to leap and crash through a low window, disappearing into the snow faster than even he thought possible, running even when he was in the safety of the forest, still terrified that England was chasing him.

The only things moving in the desolate scene Kumajiro left behind were the flakes of snow swirling through the now open window, and the tears slowly running down England's face.

* * *

Authoress' Random Ramble

(By the way, big sections in italics are Kumajiro's point of view)

Yay, the new chapter! These chapters probably won't be long (really long= 1,500 words), but they won't be as short once I get into the swing of this fic. Any requested side pairings? Guesses on what'll happen next? Worries about Kuma? Drop me a review and I'll respond ^^

Less than three. Less than three


	3. Transformation

Kumajiro had been wandering in the snow covered forest for quite a while, not knowing where he was going, but knowing that he needed to get away. He'd been sifting through his memories, pulling bits and pieces. He couldn't remember much, but the parts he did almost broke his heart.

He could remember being held in Matthew's arms- now that the spell had broken, he could remember his… his father. The spell had erased all his human memories; that was why he never remembered the person who raised him. He could remember another face, one that vaguely resembled Matthew, but was different… Alfred. That's who he was. His other father…

Kumajiro decided to try starting at the beginning, maybe that would help. All right…

* * *

_Matthew bends down over the cradle, pale blonde hair falling in front of his face. The baby reaches up and touches the hair, not making noise._

_ "You're a quiet one, aren't you," Matthew smiles, reaching down and picking him up. "I still haven't found a name for you, baby." The baby blinks its eyes- bright blue eyes, and slowly fists a handful of Matthew's shirt, bringing it to his face as if to smell it. "You're like a baby bear," Matthew laughs, and the baby smiles in response. It's a small smile, but a smile nevertheless. "I bet if you'd been born a long time ago, your spirit guide would have been a bear. What was it that Japan called the polar bear he saw when he visited with Alfred? Kuma something… Ah! Kumajiro!" Matthew walks over to his bed, sits down, and leans against the headboard. "Well, it's your name now. How do you like it? It'll be Kuma for short." The baby stares into his parent's lavender eyes, blinking solemnly. "Well, it's not like anyone's going to tease you for it," Matthew frowns slightly, and Kuma mirrors the expression. "Al doesn't know that I had you… he went off for his year in the war, and… he'll be coming home in three months… Well, you'll get to meet your other dad!" Matthew smiles, but Kuma can see something behind it. Something sad, and apprehensive. He doesn't know that that smile was only a foreshadowing of what was to come. _

* * *

Kumajiro awoke curled in a snow bank, strange aches making themselves known in his front and back legs. He blinked a few times, carefully storing his newfound memory, and trundled off to find some water, and hopefully some food. Once he got those he could figure out what to do.

After at least an hour, the small bear finally saw a lake glinting in the distance. He loped towards it, not worrying about getting lost on the way back. He had an amazing sense of smell; it wouldn't be hard.

Kumajiro crouched over the icy lake, cautiously leaning forward and wincing as his nose touched the cold water. He began to lap at the water, stopping suddenly when he noticed something about his reflection, his eyes were turning blue. He had always been able to see in color, (all bears could) but now… they were getting sharper, more defined. Shoots of pain went up his legs and along his body, and Kumajiro collapsed on the side of the lake, panting heavily. What was happening?

_The spell is lifting_, he realized. _I'm turning into a human_. With one final convulsion that felt like he was turning inside out, Kumajiro was released from his spell after fifteen years.

* * *

"W-what the hell," he sat up, surprisingly not that cold, even though he was stark naked and sitting in the snow. Kuma stretched his arms out, gasping as muscles stretched and joints cracked. He twisted his neck from side to side, marveling at how different the world seemed in his new body. He couldn't smell as well (damn, now how was he supposed to get home?), and he had a feeling he'd tire quicker. He was taller (definitely a plus), and…

He had no clue where he was.

"I'll figure it out," he mumbled, tousling his light blonde hair. "I'll figure it out."

Kuma sighed, and began his journey, following the footsteps he'd left before. It started snowing lightly, and all that could be seen was a pale silhouette walking steadily into the distance.

* * *

Authoress' Random Ramble

Like it? Hate it? Have questions? Drop a review :D

Less than three. Less than three.


	4. Back Home

Kumajiro didn't know how long he'd been walking, following his footprints- or, at least, as many of them as he could see through the swirling snow. He had kept his tolerance for the cold- thankfully, so he wasn't dying of frostbite or something equally as pathetic. Really, if he was going to die, it would be (preferably) fighting with a fellow male bear over territory, or females, or-

"You're human, idiot," Kuma reminded himself, and a smack on the arm served to snap him fully out of his bear mind and back into his human one.

… Wait…

If he could switch minds between his two selves… Could he switch back bodies as well? That would make it a lot easier to find his way home; he could just smell!

"… I guess I can try it out," he said out loud, liking the sound of his own voice. "But I really hope I'll be able to turn back again… Well, anyway, being a bear and knowing what happened is better than turning human only to die out here."

He stopped, shivering a bit as the wind picked up. Kuma reached a mental finger- no, paw, into the recesses of his mind, searching for that white light that had burst into life before. _Where was it? Wait…_

He envisioned sweeping a net through his mind, collecting anything white. Memories of snow and his own fur came to mind, then- ha! Something odd, something… magical.

"Found you." Kuma smirked and chuckled, enjoying the way the laughter seemed to bubble out of his lungs, and knowing that he probably wouldn't be able to feel it again after he changed back. Steeling himself, he stabbed his mental paw/hand into the speck of white, bending in half as the spell came into effect and shrunk him once more.

_Great… back to being a bear…_ Kumajiro picked up his own scent trail immediately, and began loping back home, anxious to find out what had happened to Matthew.

After another hour or two, he'd finally made it to outside the house. Kuma walked up to the front door and scratched; fervently hoping that Matthew would open the door, and not Arthur.

"… I wonder who it is…" He could hear the voice from outside the door (even though Matthew- his… dad? Mom?- was quiet, Kuma's excellent hearing balanced that out.) "No one really comes over that often except for Gil and Al… And if it were them, they would just barge right in." Matthew opened the door, eyes immediately settling on Kumajiro.

"Kumajiko! You came back!" Matthew grabbed the small bear and spun him around, almost crying with happiness. Kumajiro noticed, with hope, that Matthew's name for him was only one letter off this time. Maybe Matthew had developed a tolerance of some sort to Arthur's magic, so the new refreshing of the spell hadn't done that much!

… except, of course, make Matthew forget his own child. Great.

"I was so worried," Matthew wasn't aware that Kuma was tuning him out (mostly), and kept going on and on. "I thought you'd left for good! I woke up on the couch, and all there was was a note from Arthur saying that I had fallen asleep waiting for him, and that you'd broken out and he was trying to find you! Really, Kumijiro, you shouldn't worry Arthur so! He cares about you a lot, you know!"

Kumajiro rolled his eyes- or, at least, tried to; making human expressions in a bear body felt weird. He wondered if he could change back now, and gently prodded Matthew's arm with a paw to get him to put the impatient bear- child down.

"Oh, sorry, you probably don't like being so far off the ground," Matthew frowned a bit, bent down and set Kuma on the floor, then crouched next to him.

Kumajiro was poking around in his own mind again, trying to find the white spark. Damn, it was gone! Where the hell had that stupid spark disappeared to? And right when he needed it!

"… Kumarijo? What are you doing? Just sitting there… are you sure you're ok?" Matthew patted Kuma's head, then gently shook him, trying to figure out what was wrong.

"HEY MATTIE, THE AWESOME ME IS HERE FOR PANCAKES!"

… Oh shit

* * *

Authoress' Random Ramble

XD Yes, I'm evil, not turning Kuma back and leaving you with a cliffhanger. THERE WILL BE SEMI ONE SIDED PRUCAN IN THIS.

Just fyi.

Less than three. Less than three


	5. Here It Goes

Kumajiro instinctively narrowed his eyes and _growled_ at the albino that had so suddenly broken into his house (well, technically Canada's house, but still…). He didn't know why- fuck, he knew exactly why he didn't want Prussia there. If Kuma was going to get back to being human, and figure out how to get the spell off Matthew, then anyone else taking up Matt's time was a hindrance.

Canada was used to Prussia barging in at odd times, and had figured out that the quickest way to get him to leave was to get him what he wanted. Normally Canada would've been thrilled to have company, but right now, he just wanted some time alone with Kumajiro so he could figure out what was wrong with his bear.

"Fine, fine, I'm getting pancakes," Canada held out a hand to stop Prussia from opening his mouth and- well, generally being annoying.

"Yes! _Kesese_, Mattie, you're one of the awesomest people ever!" Prussia grabbed Canada by the waist and spun him around, laughing at how red Canada's face got.

"P-put me d-down, eh!" Canada thumped Prussia over the head when he didn't immediately acquiesce, then, once both feet were soundly on the floor, made his way to the kitchen, muttering about over enthusiastic albinos that made too much noise and ate people out of house and home.

* * *

"…" Prussia stared at Kumajiro, who was tensed and ready to bite if Prussia did anything wrong. Or anything that he considered bite worthy. "Hello? Bear dude? You alive?" He snapped his fingers in front of Kuma's nose, pulling his hand back as Kumajiro's jaws clicked shut on thin air. "Damn, what'd I ever do to you, you un-awesome ball of fur!"

"While you're in my house, there will be no taunting Kumajiro!" Canada yelled from the kitchen, internally debating whether to keep cooking, or pull a Hungary and teach Prussia a lesson with the frying pan.

"But the little shit tried to bite me!" Prussia scowled, and flipped Kumajiro off as he retreated to the couch.

Yes, Canada was definitely leaning towards the second option.

* * *

Kumajiro and Prussia had an uneasy truce; Prussia was sitting on the couch and channel surfing, while Kumajiro curled up in his usual spot in a comfortable chair and poked around in his own mind. Neither bothered the other, and each was left to their own devices.

Kumajiro couldn't figure out why it wasn't working. He'd been able to find the white magic before, but it seemed to have vanished now. Did that mean it had all been used up when he turned back? If it had… Kumajiro didn't want to be stuck as a bear. He'd had fifteen years lost as a bear, and he knew that even with magic, he wouldn't get those years back.

If there was one thing he didn't want, it was being stuck as a bear. Kuma didn't care if he turned back in front of Canada and Prussia; the worst that could happen would be Canada fainting and Prussia freaking out. With a final shove to the area he'd last seen the magic, Kumajiro mentally gave up, exhausted. He couldn't think of any other way to shake the spark from it's hiding place, to rattle it around so he could find it and turn back-

Wait…

The day before he'd originally been able to see the magic, he'd fallen off the top of a couch and hit his head. Was it mental trauma that made it visible?

It was as good a guess as any. Kumajiro hopped off the couch, not feeling Prussia watching him in confusion, and aimed himself at the table leg. He steeled his body; even if he was hurt, it was worth turning back into a human. He couldn't pause at all, that might ruin everything.

"Um… Matt? Your bear is acting sort of fucked up… Did you let it eat those cookies of yours?" Prussia called to the kitchen, not liking the way Kumajiro seemed to be staring at the poor table like it had done him a great injustice. "Because I seriously think he's high or something- shit!" The hast expletive coincided with Kumajiro smashing himself into the table leg, not breaking the table itself (hey, when Sweden made a table, he made it right), but staggering backwards from the impact.

"Kuma!" Canada rushed from the kitchen, not caring if the pancakes burned. He couldn't explain why he was so worried for a bear, but… Kuma was almost like a kid to him. A fuzzy, gluttonous kid that could never remember him. Although, to be fair, Canada could barely remember his name either.

"I swear I didn't do anything, Mattie! He just went batshit and tried to kill the table!" Prussia held up his hands in defence, going completely unnoticed by Canada, who was cradling the dazed bear.

"Kuma? Kumagiro?" The name, closer to his own than Canada had come before, shook Kumajiro out of his dazed state. He blinked a few times, registering relief on Canada's face, and- was that surprise? What did he have to be surprised about? "… Your eyes are blue."

_Oh shit,_ was Kuma's last coherent thought, before he changed back to a human.

* * *

Authoress' Random Ramble

UWAAAAAAAAAH I am sososososooooo sorry for not updating yesterday (there was literally no time because the football game was yesterday instead of today), please forgive me ;_;

… I'm a terrible person. I feel so mean for being so bad to Canada in so many of my fics.

Less than three. Less than three.


	6. Undue Stress

Canada stared at the boy that suddenly manifested in his arms with eyes wider than should be possible, and then blinked a few times to make sure he wasn't suddenly hallucinating. "G-gil? You see him too?" It came out as more of a strangled squeak than a question, though.

When he got no reply, Canada tore his eyes away from the mystery he was holding and saw Prussia laying, passed out, on the floor.

"It must be a side affect." The boy's voice was sort of raspy, and he sat up, still leaning into Canada's chest. "It makes sense. Anyone that's not involved passes out when they see me like this. Or maybe just if they see me change."

"… Excuse me?" Canada said, somewhat rhetorically, before easing the boy out of his arms, and bending over to pick up Prussia and settle him on the couch. Once Prussia was settled in a way that meant he would not fall off anytime soon, Canada turned to this strange kid and crossed his arms, albeit with a confused look on his face. "I would appreciate it if you could explain what, exactly, is happening. Because all I know is that my bear ran himself into a table, and then you poofed into existence. And since spontaneous combustion has been proven as an untrue theory, you must have come from somewhere." Canada's vague attempt at humor was lost on the boy, who was studying the other blonde intently.

"I'm human," the boy said blankly. "And you can call me Kuma. There's sort of a long story, but I think you'll end up passing out if I tell you." The boy- Kuma- looked at Canada apprehensively.

"Why don't you try me." Canada thought that after all his time with Prussia and America, he could handle whatever 'Kuma' had to say.

"No!" He was almost hyperventilating, digging his nails into one arm, bright blue eyes terrified and seemingly unaware of the thin trickles of blood that were flowing from his new cuts. "If you pass out, you'll forget me! You can't forget me again! You might not remember me this time, and-"

"Kuma." Just Canada saying it seemed to have a calming effect on Kuma, he started breathing normally and unclenched his hands. "We're going to go and I'm going to fix up those cuts, and then you are going to tell me as much as you think you can tell me without me passing out and forgetting you. And then we are making pancakes and waiting for Gilbert to wake up." Brooking no argument, Canada started towards the bathroom where he kept the first aid kit. Looking back to see whether or not Kuma was following him, Canada was startled to find himself face to face with the strange boy. Instead of blushing and backing away like he normally would have, Canada put a hand on Kuma's forehead, noting his flushed cheeks and glazed eyes. "I think you have a fever."

Kuma didn't do anything, just stood there, swaying slightly.

"I guess I'll fix up your arm, then we'll get you settled in the guest bedroom instead of making pancakes." Canada turned around again, seeing that he would get no response from the now- silent Kuma. He motioned the boy in before him, sitting him down on the closed toilet before reaching into a cabinet to find the battered first aid kit. "Ah. Here it is." Canada popped the lid, noticing that he was running out of bandages. Well, that did tend to happen when one basically lived with Prussia.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, Canada swabbing the cuts on his forearm and then bandaging them- Kuma had sharp nails. He stood up, wincing when his back cracked abruptly, then smiled.

"Guess I'm getting old, huh."

Kuma didn't respond, eyes suddenly closing as he fell sideways off the toilet and onto the cold floor, head making a sickening _thunk_ as it hit the tile.

"Oh my god, Kuma!" Canada's gasp ripped through his lungs, the blood now pooling on the floor was bringing something back- was it a memory? But when would this have happened, he never remembered anything like this, what was-

* * *

_Canada's head collided sharply with the banister on the stair railing and he slumped to the ground, the blood that was staining his hair red was obscuring the vision of one of his eyes. He reached out vainly, but the person standing in front of him didn't let go of what he was holding._

_ "I'm sorry, lad, but this is for the best." The figure snapped a finger, and Canada had only a fleeting glance of what it held- blue eyes meet lavender, a plea for help from blue, a plea for forgiveness from lavender- before sinking into unconsciousness. _

* * *

Canada was breathing shakily, trying to compose himself after what happened to Kuma and his sudden flashback- it had to be some sort of buried memory. He noticed with alarm that Kuma was still bleeding, and yelped, scooting away from the growing pool of blood. He grabbed a towel and gingerly stepped over Kuma to where the floor was mercifully blood-free, lifting the boy's now bloody skull up and pressing the wadded up towel to the cut to staunch the bleeding.

"You're going to give me a heart attack soon, and I barely know you."

Canada was only half joking.

* * *

Kuma woke up in a soft bed with half his head bandaged and a splitting headache. He tried to open his mouth and ask what happened, but-

He'd lost his voice.

Kuma tried again, even tried whispering as quietly as he could. No sound.

Eventually, he settled for thumping a fist on the headboard of the bed until Canada yelled back.

"Coming!"

Canada walked into the room, drying his hands with a dishtowel. "How are you doing?"

When Kuma opened his mouth again and Canada couldn't hear anything, the older blonde realized that the boy had lost his voice.

"It's fine, a lot of times people just can't hear me, even if I am talking. I won't think you have nothing to say just because I can't hear you." Kuma looked immensely relieved at this news, and for the first time, Canada saw him smile. It was a small smile, but a smile nevertheless.

Now if only Canada could figure out who this strange boy was…

* * *

Authoress' Random Ramble

Yes, yes ;_; I know it's late. But I wrote 100 more words than usual, so… am I forgiven? Please?

Warning: this fic will be über–angsty soon.

Less than three. Less than three.


End file.
